New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-01
AWERICAN Art GALLERIEH
AUTUMN. EXHIBITION.


Of suporatives necessary to hold audience Their
pictures must DO startling in color in subject or M
impressive size Tho temptation IS great, the com.
petition keen, and perhaps 1t IS not surprising ih,A
Salon visitors fed with horrors weared by thu
empty verbosty Of painters whose theme aud trest.
mont out Of all relation In this exhibition Messrs
Story and Relnhart furnish the horrible and Mcssrs
Butler Vail, LOOMS, Mclchers, Mlddelord and Miss
Fairchd among tho prollx painters. These i'm
menso pictures curiousy out OF place In any
ordinary gallery, and their fpal destination maa
knows or can imagine However, the disease Is ~
common as the measles and no moro likely to prove
fatal. Hugo canvascs and gray mark one stage oS
development and although most Of these pictures arc
significant only as experiments. not few show strong
promise.
The promise OF Mr.. Julian story's work does noA
redeem his CHASTITY subject Tho horrible may b
accepted when a mastcr of execution and dramatLs
effect paints for us "Wreck OF the Mcdusa,' oe
Massacre Of sciO" but Mr.. Story fails at tho climax
OF his story The heroine, willing to ransom hes
father by drinking blood Is not figure fmpclllng adj
mIration sympathy, nor Is she sufficiently empha
sized By the cOlOring. Tho father Is merely pctsh
old man. 1t not worth while to rewrite In this
tame aborcd fashion the dramatic story Of the French
Rev oution told by Lamartnc The artist is to b
credited with an Immense amount OF careful work
with patient and Intelligent study Of many models
and of their grouping but tho picture appeals only 10
curious interest, unless the red caps OK tho self
chosen executioners prove suggestive. Mr. Rcinhat,
like Mr.. Penfold and many others before him, has
sought to depict tragedy of tho seashorc. corpse
washed aShve By tho This fact, the presence
OF certain spectators and of gend arme stodly TAX
Ing notes tho artist has set down without emotion or
special interest and tho observer views the result
with entire Indifference. There few faint traces
Of horror the faces Of tho fishermen, few Vague
indications of tho faces of tho mcn but If tho
al Inn.
ability OF the gend'arme he has made his foil too
strong The officer tho best OF bis figures, all evil
IDENTIFY models. Tho poor sOddcn, livid heap on the
sand Will persuade most observers that work OF this
sort IS worth artists doing at least unless it
be admirably done 1t Is pleasant relief to turn
from MI Story's picture In tire first gallery to Its
nelghbor a pastoral by Mr Mcchers, which shows
two peasant girls with milk pals and rakes, seen
against grassy hillside rising to sky line. Tho
theme became hackneyed long ago, and the canvas
is ncedlessly large but Mr. Melchers has painted his
models with much cleverneSs and his picture, despite
the uncvenness OF the figure work, IS crcditabo
performance.
of Mr. Walls pictures. the study OF boys scull-
ing boat I'm the dingy atmoS phere which overhangs
the Thames at London IS the better and the in
teresting not merely from he greler variety. in IT.
self an unimpOrtant fe ltuTc, but because In Tho
widow expression IS evidently forced and as regards
the merely sullen face unsympahetc and Inadequate
There IL a certain forcble Of line in this picture
which IS perhaps It's chief merit. Little would be lost
by its reduction and translation Into black and whito
Mis-, FaiIchild who may possibly have been infiu- ..
cnced by the Bastlen Iepagc following sends largo
outdoor" study OF models In peasant costume. which
i by no means unpleasant, although the uuthiulhess
OF tho lighting Will hardly bear close scrutiny Mr.
Hassam IS represented by one OF hi, Palisian street
scenes, Mr.. H. H. Butler by harbor scene, which
will pass . a skctch and there Is painting by ono
Moan Nh Ni~Ipr
"Unexpcctcd VISIT" laborcd study OF costumes, Is
distinguish he'd rather by the painflncsS OF the work
man>hip than by any pictorial value Mr W alter
Sanfords study In red, ballet girl before Mirror
IS curiosity in the tastelcSsncSs OF the design and
the badness Of the color. Mr. Moser, OF course has
shown his narrow limitations but the work Of most of
tho others is clearly experimental and on tho whole
not unpromslng. There remain two artists who need
few allowances, Mr.. Alexander Harrison and Mr..
Howe. The former, who Is favorably known to our
public. exhibits study OF tho light and colorng az
tho close OF an Indian summer afternoon, when no
calls Mazc' the immediate subject being field Of
corn tho tops cut off. the ripe ears bursting through
tho hushs A little girl, whose stolid, Indian faco
IS at variance with her dress, advances between thu
rows the sunlight gilds tho foliage OF trees on The
right and hills in the distance, and reddish rooi
shines beyond the yellow corn Tho picture preSenti
Itself novelty but after tho obtruSveneSs OF th'
brstlng spikes of corn IS recognized a, disturbing
element in the composition and the slight moss OF The
figure Acknowledged, there remains tho fact that thu
artist la. obtained the effects Of color and atmosphere
at which he aimed. This is interesting contrast
TO Mr. Uarrson's usual work Mr.. Howe, on tho
other hand conveys no idea Of especially ambitious
purpose or a desire to shine photomoric ob,ory-
or lie has painted group of COWS strolling leisure
ly down valley at tho approach of twilight mix
maid behind them, a road stretching backward, with
gentlo slopes on eithor side. This he has painted
rkali Of
composition Is excellent, his drawing usually salts
factory his colorn good, and his picture IS painted
throughout honestly and well 1t Will be regarded
rather y a transcript from nature than As the per-
formance" OF painter.
These arc tho moro prominent of the Franco Ameri-
can paintings, but by no means all There is pant
ing OF two figures at a window by Miss Brewster.
which shows rare success In rendering action truth
fully. There IS Interior study BY Mr. REID, an at
tempt deal with dlifusod light, which has resulted
monOt )nous chalkncss. Near by Is picture Oh
children by a Munich student, Mr. Aiken, who has adj
m!rably expressed childish absorption and unconscious
ness. Among pictures by the younger Of tho homo
artists arc two twilight studies in green and yellow
by Mr. Bogcrt less pleasing than others, but sinccro
and thoughtfuy done; landscape with sheep by
Mr. Lahrop, suggestive of Maurc. and also OF Mr.
Chase, but a very promising piece OF work; sus-
gcstvo harbor by Mr.. McrSfeldcr, and clever
sketch by Mss Loves.
In this briof summary can only call attention
fcw of many paintings which ara above the aver
ago Mr.. Millcs clever figure paintings the stiilife
bits really expressive than the figures, VIII ma
plenty Of admirers, and there are landscapes by
Mossrs. smlllic Ochtmann, lIoebcr, Gay and kost.
study OF the setting In OF gray rainy evening by Mr
Coffin, and excellent Murphy 10y Mr.. Crane which
VIII repay attention. Mr. Tryon has given the effect
OF harbor scene at night, and given 1t Wei; Mr..
Woir who also sends study OF dogs ana stiil ITO,
excellent It's sober harmony of color, has painted
landscapo with cattle and other figures picture OF
much robustness and foco: Mr. Cole sends two ficSh
we'll felt studies OF boats rocking on lazy sea In an
atmosphere family opaeScent; Mr.. W. NJ. Chase con-
tributes several vvacious. brilliant landscape studies
suggestive OF tho Franco Italians there clever
studcs by Mossrs Dcnman and " ilcs and an excellent
detail painting Of Jockey In undrcsS by Mr. Harris,
with efforts In this direction by Mr. BiSscl MesSS.
Rydor and Dlakoock represent tho romaniiciSS, tho